A Second Chance
by Fangirl1019
Summary: Rae-Lynn has always tried to make a living out of smuggling and trading ever since the attack at the Jedi Academy, where her sister died. That all changes when a crime lord wants her dead, and a pilot finds her injured and takes her to the Resistance Base. There, she will have to be open with her past and help the Resistance with defeating her old friend, Ben Solo.
1. chapter 1

**Hey! So this is my second Star Wars fanfiction. My first one is _A Happy Ending,_ which you should totally read! *Wink wink* ;) Anyways, this one takes place before Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and a few of the characters are made up by yours truly. Also, I do use some Huttese in this chapter and most likely the next. Huttese is pretty easy to understand because it's fairly similar to Galactic Basic, otherwise known as English. If it's still a bit difficult to understand, I'll include the link for a Huttese translator at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!**

A Second Chance

Chapter I

She watched through the rain as her fellow Padawans and younglings fell at the hands of the searing, sparking red blade. They were all gone. She knew that they were, yet she still had hope. There were always survivors. If there was one thing that Master Skywalker had taught her, it was that hope could get you through anything.

She crawled on her hands and knees behind one of the Padawan's limp bodies. It made her want to scream, but she knew that she couldn't. It would give her away.

Her hands raked across the wet ground. She fought to keep moving. All she wanted was to give up; her muscles ached and she was exhausted.

Her eyes landed on one of the other bodies. She recognized the auburn hair that was so similar to hers.

"Zhenna!"

She forgot all about hiding and her own safety as she ran towards her sister.

"Zhenna!" she cried again. She looked down and saw the gash in her side.

"I'm okay," her older sister said softly. "You need to go, you can't stay here. It's not safe." Her voice came out strained and hoarse.

"Please," the younger girl whispered. "You can't-"

"Rae-Lynn, listen to me. I'm not going to make it out of here."

"Yes, you are," she replied, a tear glistening in her eye. It mingled with the rain drops on her face as it rolled down her cheek. "You have to."

Zhenna smiled and put her hand in Rae-Lynn's.

"You have to leave."

"No, not without you. I can't!"

"You can. I know you can. The Force flows through you, surely and strongly. Just call on it when you need strength."

Rae-Lynn sniffled and nodded. "Zhenna, I-"

Zhenna stopped her. "You can't stay here for much longer. He'll find you. You have to go."

She tightened her grip on Rae-Lynn's hand as her breath hitched. "I love you, little Lynn." She pulled on Rae-Lynn's Padawan braid softly, just like she always did to irritate her, but this time, it didn't make her scowl. It made her grin solemnly.

"I love you, too, Zhen-Zhen."

She felt her sister's grasp soften. Rae-Lynn looked into her eyes. They were still gleaming green with wisdom and knowledge, yet they were lifeless and unseeing.

"I'm sorry," Rae-Lynn whispered as she closed Zhenna's eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

She looked down at her hand. Zhenna had slipped a pendant between her fingers with a strange design on it.

She heard crackling just a few yards away from her. Her head turned to see that flaming red saber.

Rae-Lynn dragged her feet up from the ground and started running as fast as her young, eleven year old legs could. She leaned towards the Force, using it to speed her sprints. Whoever that person was, though, they still caught up to her. She felt their hands pull on the hood of her cloak.

She fell to the ground on her knees. If this was how she was going to go, she would do it honorably.

She faced her killer with a look of defiance. "Do it."

Rae-Lynn couldn't see their face. It was hidden behind an apparatus of sorts.

"Only a coward would hide behind a mask."

She watched as her mystery attacker removed the mask slowly. They let it fall to the ground.

"Ben?"

He kept his eyes trained on his saber and avoided looking at her.

"What are you doing?"

He responded by bringing the saber closer to her neck. She felt the heat radiating off it and the sweat that had gathered on her brow.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I have to," he said quietly.

"No, you don't. There's always another way." Rae-Lynn was suddenly aware of the tears that streamed down her face.

He started to push the saber into her shoulder. She winced and tried to ignore the burning sensation that was quickly spreading.

"Stop," she said between her clenched teeth. "This isn't you. You know it's not right. Master Skywalker taught you better than this."

"He is weak. I have a chance to be stronger than he could ever be."

"Through the Dark Side?"

Rae-Lynn watched in fear as he raised the saber. She forced herself to look into his eyes, daring him to finish what he started. If need be, she would pull out her own lightsaber, but it would only come to that if she had no other choice.

He closed his eyes tightly and turned away.

"Go."

"What?"

"Run. Before I change my mind."

Rae-Lynn woke up panting, tears clinging to her cheeks. She groaned and realized that it was the same dream that she had remembered the past few nights as well. It was strange that her memories tied in so accurately with her dreams. The only part that wasn't true was how Ben had spared her. Back when it had happened, she'd had to fight her way out of there. Ben had given up when she had managed to knock his saber away from him and he said that it wasn't the last time that she would see him. He would find her again.

She sighed and decided to get up. It was early in the morning, but at least she would make it out to the cantina before everyone else.

She threw on a white shirt and slipped on some black leggings that had been so worn that they were covered in holes. She pulled on her scuffed boots that could use some polishing and shrugged on her favorite dark brown jacket as well. Her hair, as always, was in a mess of tangled red curls. The best she could do was tie it back simply with a band.

She looked around her plain, simple square home. The only things inhabitating the house was a small bed, a sink, a stove and oven, a cabinet, and an incredibly slim bathroom off to the right. She didn't own much, and she was fine with that. Just enough to get by.

Rae-Lynn grabbed her pouch of credits and tied it to her belt. She started to walk out the door of her tiny house, but she retraced her steps and placed her blaster in the holster at her belt as well. You never knew how much people would act up, and she felt like she would need it today.

Her hand brushed over her lightsaber as she reached under her pillow for Zhenna's pendant. It had been so long since she had channeled the Force. As a matter of fact, she was almost sure that she had lost whatever skill she had with it- including her lightsaber. She wasn't sure if she should bring it with her. Normally, she left it home because of the risk. The galaxy believed that the Jedi were dead, and a lightsaber would be either a sign of Jedi or Sith affiliation.

She was in enough trouble as it was. Almost every bounty hunter was on her back for all the deals that she had let fall through.

She had learned to trust her instincts, though. Sighing, she grabbed the lightsaber and tucked it deep into the bottom of her bag underneath the other random things that she had accumulated from trades. She slung the bag across her body, and left the house.

Rae-Lynn stepped out into the sandy planet of Tatooine and shielded her eyes against the glare of the suns. Once she was sure that she wasn't going to cross paths with someone that didn't like her, she made her way through the small town, which was just a short distance from Mos Eisley. A lot of people from that area came down here. It was mostly a resting spot for pod racers and criminals that needed a chance to rest or lie low. That was why she liked the place.

She pushed the cantina door open. The first thing she heard was a song by the Max Rebo band playing on a radio.

"'Morning, Lynn," called the Rodian cantina owner. His green fingers slid a rag across the bar's counters.

"Good morning, Raucko."

He was one of the very few nice people that she knew. He always helped her when she was in tough spots, especially when she managed to get into trouble with the locals.

"What'll it be?" His nasally voice drew her from her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"You alright?"

"Yeah, of course," she smiled. "I was just… thinking about all the credits I owe you and nearly everybody else." To be honest, she had been thinking about the dream.

"Nah, you don't owe me anything," he said. "You're a good person, and I'm always more than happy to help you out when you need it. As a matter of fact, I'll make you something. On the house."

"No, it's okay. I don't need anything."

Raucko gave her a look.

Rae-Lynn laughed. "Alright, alright. I'll take a Tatooine Sunset."

"This early in the morning?" Raucko chuckled. "You must've had a rough time yesterday."

"Well, Ikao made me mad. He still owes me things from a long time ago, and I may have accidentally broken one of his fingers."

Raucko set to making her drink. "You caused quite a ruckus. The whole place was watching you. How were you able to break his finger, anyways? He yelped like someone had kicked him… you know where."

"Pretty easy, really. I stomped on his hand. He was just stupid enough to leave his hand resting on the table, even when he saw me climbing on the table. Anyways, he was supposed to give me fifty credits for that F-11D blaster rifle! Do you know how hard it was for me to find that here on Tatooine? Normally, it wouldn't be that hard, I mean, those blaster rifles are pretty common, but I've been swamped with so much other stuff lately. I went through so much trouble, all for him, and he only gave me twenty! And if you ask me-"

Raucko laughed and pushed her Tatooine Sunset towards her. "Well, don't you worry. I hear that he's leaving."

"Where?" Rae-Lynn sipped her drink and ignored the burn it sent down her throat.

"He's heading towards the Core, around Coruscant. They're saying that he's looking into selling death sticks."

Rae-Lynn nearly choked. "Death sticks? I mean, I knew that Ikao was a lowlife and a slum, but I didn't think he'd go that low. That's just sad."

"Well, it's actually a decent business. A lot of people down in that area are practically desperate for those things and will pay just about anything for them. And don't forget, Ikao holds a lot of power around these parts. He's pretty much the biggest crime lord- around here, anyways. He's nothing compared to the Hutts, though. Ikao may be stupid sometimes, but he's so intimidating that he gets whatever he wants. He's got a lot of people working for him."

"Yeah, I know. If he does leave, though, then that would make my life so much easier..."

"Of course, it's all just talk, so I wouldn't get your hopes up."

She shrugged.

Raucko took advantage of the silence between them. "Look, I've been meaning to talk to you about this… I know that you're a good person and all, but the business and deals and whatever you smugglers do causes trouble."

She looked at him, slightly offended. "I'm not a smuggler. I just… assist. If someone needs something, I'll get it for them- at a price, of course. That's how I make a living! You wouldn't want me to go out living on the streets of Coruscant, buying death sticks from Ikao, would you?"

"The only thing that makes you good at what you do is your charming self; it's hard to refuse you." Raucko shook his head. "I bet if you ask others, they'll agree with me."

He gestured towards the window. "People are gonna start showing up. If you've got somewhere to be, I would leave before the first wave hits."

Rae-Lynn nodded and pushed her finished drink across the counter to him. "I know. I have some… business to attend here."

"You better not start any fights in my cantina, Lynn."

"No promises, but I'll try."

"That's what you say every day."

Rae-Lynn laughed. "Thanks for the drink, Raucko."

"No problem," he said back. He grabbed another rag and started polishing a glass. "Be careful, Lynn. I hear that a lot of people are mad at you."

"Don't worry about me," she assured him. "I can take care of myself. Besides, it's not like I'm in as much debt as Han Solo himself."

"You never know…"

Raucko's voice was drowned out by the sound of his first wave of customers. They shoved past each other to get a good seat at the bar.

Rae-Lynn moved to the back corner. She put her legs up on the table and leaned back in her seat. She had learned that it made her look more intimidating, like she had more power than she really did. She brought her hands behind her head and closed her eyes.

That dream had kept her up all night. She still thought it was strange. When she had dreamt it before, Ben and her had engaged in saber contact, just like it had actually happened all those years ago. It had been the only way for her to survive. Yet last night, he had spared her.

Maybe it was a sign that he was changing. She had heard about the infamous Kylo Ren, and she was cretain that it was Ben. He had killed the only person she had ever loved, Zhenna. And though it may be a petty reason for hating him, she never finished her Padawan years because of him. Edus Farlance had just taken her up as his Padawan after becoming a Master a few weeks before the attack. He had also been killed by Kylo Ren.

He hated him. With all her heart, soul, and every other part of her. But she didn't hate Ben. He was a good person. Kylo Ren had destroyed him and replaced him with an artificial mask that clouded his life with darkness.

Although it was false hope, she believed that he would eventually turn back to the light.

It was hard for her to say that she still followed the light as well. She had fallen so far. She was technically a smuggler… and a criminal. She didn't care much about anything except herself and her survival.

She chuckled to herself as she realized that she was actually pretty similar to Han Solo.

Rae-Lynn heard someone walking past to her right. She tilted her head up just a bit and groaned.

"Ubis Nuiv."

The beige Dug grinned.

Rae-Lynn scowled. He was rumored to be related to Sebulba, but as far as she knew Sebulba had never had any children. Still, Ubis definitely was a spitting image of Sebulba. He was even an esteemed pod racer.

He pushed himself up onto the chair across from her, leaning forward on the table.

"Mee hagwa naga trouble gee u today, Ubis. If mee owe u something, mee promise mee'll give it tah u by doe end of this week. Just give je tee-tocky. Mee have other things tah do," Rae-Lynn said in Huttese before he could speak first.

Ubis laughed. "Noah, u hagwa owe je anything. U moolee-rah je bata do few weeks ago. Actually, mee came unko tah choba u do job."

"Mee'm nopa interested."

She closed her eyes again and prayed that he would go away.

He smirked. "Da's peetch goola. Mee was koona tah choba u 1,500 credits tah repair myo pod che doe chawa. But if u're gonna be like da, mee'll find someone else."

1,500? That's enough to pay at least three people back. Rae-Lynn's eyelids flew open as she sat up straighter. "Mee'll take doe job. Whao does it need tah be finished?"

"Tomorrow. U'll have tah finish it today."

Her jaw dropped. There was no way she could repair a pod in one day. "Today? Kava much damage?"

"Just do fried engine. Nothing da u can't fix."

Rae-Lynn thought for a moment. She needed those credits, but she couldn't guarantee a good, solid repair if she only had one day. "Fine, but u have tah supply doe parchee. Mee'm nopa spending myo credits on do stupid pod."

Ubis nodded. "Da's fair enough."

"If da's all u have tah settah, bolla," Rae-Lynn said.

Ubis twisted the tendrils that hung from his snout-like face between two fingers in thought. "Hmm… Oh, um mee was supposed tah deliver u do wankee tuta Ikao. He said da he apologizes che kickee misunderstandings between u, um da he'll meet u tomorrow at doe chawa tah talk."

"Misunderstandings?" Rae-Lynn laughed. "Mee hagwa naga tah talk tah him. Tell him da if he shows tonka unko at doe cantina by night gee myo F-11D blastoh rifle, then jee-jee can talk."

Ubis nodded and left without another word or thanks. Rae-Lynn hadn't expected him to thank her. She sighed as she realized that it would take her forever to repair his fried engine. How was she supposed to finish it in a day?

She heard someone else sit down at the table. She didn't bother looking up, nor did she even open her eyes.

"If I owe you something, I promise that I will have all payments due by the end of this week. I'm receiving a large amount of credits today, so I'll be able to pay you back for whatever." She paused and worked out the translation from Galactic Basic to Huttese in her head. "If mee owe u something, mee promise da mee will have all payments due by doe end of this week. Mee'm receiving do grancha amount of credits today, so mee'll be able tah wamma u bata che whatever."

She sensed that they were still in front of her. It was a humanoid presence, so she continued to speak in Basic. "Look, I'll pay you five credits right now if you go away. I'm not in the mood."

"I don't want your money."

"Fine, then go."

They were still standing there. Sighing, she looked up finally. A man was looking at her through strange orange goggles. They enlarged his brown eyes and made his thin lips look even smaller.

"Who are you?"

He didn't answer her question. "Ikao wants to speak with you."

Rae-Lynn looked down at his jacket, where a name was written in small script. Fenro. She had heard that name before, but only mentioned every now and then by Ikao.

"Ah, so you must be one of his little henchmen. And yes, I'm well aware that he wants to talk. I don't."

"All he wants is to make sure that your recent arguments have been resolved."

Rae-Lynn laughed loudly. "Is that what he's calling them? Arguments? First I was told that he's calling misunderstandings, and now-"

She saw his hand move. She had to admit, he was skilled at making it look casual. But she knew better. Her hand slid down her side until it rested on her own blaster.

"You tell him the same thing that Ubis is telling him: if he wants to talk, then he will show up here tonight with my F-11D blaster rifle."

"Ikao doesn't like being told what to do."

Rae-Lynn smiled. "I know. I don't like being told what to do either."

She pulled her blaster out of its holster swiftly and fired above his head. It just barely singed the top of his graying hair.

"That was a warning shot. Get out before this turns ugly."

The man shot and missed. It hit the wall, burning a small hole into it. By that point, a quarter of the cantina was staring at them. The other three quarters were too busy with their own business to notice.

"Okay, ugly it is," Rae-Lynn sighed.

They both stood and pointed their blasters at each other.

"It's always a shame for the messenger," she mused. "They always get caught in the crossfire of problems that don't concern them."

The man pulled the trigger, but she had already assessed the situation and had known what he was going to do. She ducked under the table in hopes of dodging his fire. It worked; he hit the leg of the table instead. When she came back up, she was unguarded. The man smiled, putting the barrel of his blaster against her head.

Think, think, think… This is not how you're going to die… Especially not in Raucko's cantina...

"Wouldn't Ikao be mad if you killed his best supplier?"

"He has several others just like you," the man said. "You're just a nuisance now."

She saw his grip tighten.

He won't really shoot me. He doesn't have the look of a killer.

Rae-Lynn forced tears to well up in her eyes. It took a few moments, but she managed to get a few tears to roll down her cheeks. "Please, don't hurt me. I'm sorry."

The man furrowed his brow. "What?"

His guard was down, just like hers had been, and that was all she needed. She wrapped her hand around his wrist and twisted it sharply as she stood. His hand opened in shock of the pain and dropped the blaster.

Then it was only a matter of seconds until her blaster was pressed against his chest. She used her other hand to grab his fallen weapon.

The man attempted to knock her off her feet by kicking her legs, but she held her ground.

"Lynn!"

She craned her neck to see Raucko. She groaned.

"Today's your lucky day."

She pushed him away roughly, keeping his blaster in her hand, and watched as he left the cantina hurriedly.

At least Ikao would be hearing her reply soon.

 **Tell me what you think in the reviews! I'm not sure if this story will be as successful as my other one, but we'll see! I know that right now it might seem kind of lame, but it'll start to progress faster really soon; it's just starting out. So please follow, favorite, and review! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

"Hurry tonka! Mee naga tah bolla tah Mos Eisley by doe end of today!"

Rae-Lynn rolled out from underneath Ubis's pod. She wiped her brow and scowled.

"Well, u're pod sa jacked tonka gee all those weird things da hopa u cheeta. Soong making u close tah impossible tah repair do engine. Um these tools are poodoo. Kava do u expect je tah work gee these? It stuka u found it noleeya doe trash."

"Mee moolee-rah credits che those tools. They're just do bit rusty. Besides, it stuka u managed tah fix everything."

He walked over to her on his hands with his legs up in the air. She always furrowed her brows at the way the Dug species moved.

He rapped his knuckles on the engine. Rae-Lynn wasn't sure what he was looking or listening for, but he nodded after a few moments.

"Good," Ubis muttered. He pulled himself into the pod and flicked it on. He smiled at the low hum.

"Mee'm impressed. It sounds mo gootu than it ever has before. As do matter of fact, this sa doe best repair mee've ever seen."

Rae-Lynn gave him a confused look. Did he just compliment her?

"Umm… It was noah problem. Kavaa have those credits u owe je?"

Ubis smirked and climbed down from his pod. "Unko," he said as he handed her a small pouch.

Rae-Lynn beamed and pulled the pouch open. Her grin soon crumbled into a deep frown. "30? Konchee's doe rest?"

Ubis laughed. "Mee wasn't actually koona tah wamma u 1,500. Da's way peetch much che do simple repair da anyone could have done. Even though u did do good job, da's all u're getting."

Rae-Lynn clenched her fist and felt her other hand gravitating towards her blaster. "U said da u would give je 1,500. Mee was banking on da moulee-rah. Ateema mee won't be able tah wamma bata doe people mee promised."

"Da's do problem, not mine."

Rae-Lynn bit her tongue. She wanted nothing more than to shoot him and just take whatever other credits he had on him.

"Hagwa u have tah meet Ikao at Raucko's cantina?" Ubis grinned.

She had completely forgotten about Ikao and the suns were about to set.

"U will wamma je fully doe next tee-tocky mee stuka u, Ubis. Mo it will end badly che u."

He laughed at her threat as she strode away angrily.

Rae-Lynn went straight home. Ikao could wait for now. She didn't care if she was late; he would have to be patient.

She burst through the door and didn't even bother taking her bag off. Quickly, she filled a basin with water and started scrubbing her hands. She needed to distract herself before she got angry and did something that she would regret. She watched as the water slowly turned a murky, indigo-black due to the oil on her hands.

She needed that money. How was she supposed to pay someone back with only 30 credits?

She remembered the other 20 that Ikao had given her for the F-11D blaster rifle and sighed in defeat. 50 was nowhere close to enough, either.

Rae-Lynn grabbed a rag and dipped it in the water. She brought it up to her face to get rid of the sweat and grease.

She sat on her bed for a long time, debating whether or not she should kill Ubis before he left for Mos Eisley. Then he wouldn't be able to cheat in his precious pod race. But then again, his adoring fans would notice his disappearance, and what would those slums do without their darling Ubis Nuiz? They needed someone to waste their money and bet on.

The sound of her stomach growling was what willed her to finally get up.

She strode into the tiny kitchen and made a small biscuit from a grain-like powder. Just a few drops of water was all it took. It rose instantly, almost like it had been inflated.

As she took her first bite of the bland and flavorless bread, she heard a knock on the door. She considered answering it, but food was more appealing.

Knock.

She closed her eyes. If they didn't go away, she would greet them with a blaster to their head.

Knock… knock-knock…

She clenched her jaw and tried to breathe deeply. It was probably Ubis again, saying that he needed her to do more repair. He would offer her more money and then not pay her back. Just like always.

She decided to distract herself by pouring a small cup of kuul milk. She set down her biscuit and started to sip her drink slowly.

Knock-knock-knock.

Rae-Lynn groaned and swallowed the rest of her incredibly miniscule dinner, milk and biscuit included. She stomped to the door and swung it open. Her hand slipped into her bag and brushed against the hilt of her lightsaber as she went to grasp her blaster.

"What do you wa-"

"Wake 'er up. I don't got time fer this."

Rae-Lynn felt a nudge against her cheek. When she didn't open her eyes immediately, she was slapped.

She gasped and sat up. She looked down and saw that she was tied to a chair, seated at a two-person table. Her sight was still blurry and fuzzy (the dim lighting didn't help either), but it was enough for her to catch a glimpse of those all too familiar beady black eyes.

"Ikao."

He chuckled. "So, I hear from Ubis and Fenro that ya' wanna talk. 'Ere I am."

"Was that really necessary?" she asked. She could already feel a bruise blossoming on the side of her head from where his little henchmen had hit her. "I thought we were friends."

"I figured ya' wouldn't come willingly, so I told my boys to do whatever they needed to."

Rae-Lynn narrowed her eyes. "I would have come if they had just asked."

"Nah, I don't think ya' would've. Yer the kinda person who hits first and asks questions later."

"That's exactly what your men did to me."

Ikao laughed. "Yeah, I suppose yer right. Now, whaddaya wanna talk about?"

Rae-Lynn's sight finally cleared and she took in her surroundings. She must have been in a warehouse or factory of sorts because there was machinery scattered throughout the building. The only light came from a small lamp that Ikao had placed on the table.

She saw that Ikao had a fresh gash in his face; most likely from a street fight or a business related subject. His whole face was practically covered in scars because of the work he did.

"Well?" he questioned. He took a puff from his cigar and blew it in her direction.

Rae-Lynn coughed, which drew another laugh from Ikao. "I want my F11-D blaster rifle back."

"That's what this is all about? A blaster?"

"You asked me to get you one, and in return you said you would give me 50 credits."

Ikao drummed his fingers on the table. "And?"

"I had to scavenge for days and make multiple deals that dug me deeper in debt, and you only gave me 20."

He shrugged. "I wanted it 'cause I had someone else that offered me 75 fer one. You were just the supplier. It was a small profit, but it was worth it fer the money. Pretty much anythin' is worth it if there's money involved."

Rae-Lynn clenched her jaw. "I-"

"Well, I think I've made a decision," he interrupted. He waved over two of his men who stood behind him against the wall. "You've served yer purpose. I don't need yer… assistance anymore."

She felt their hands on her back, untying the rope that bound her to the chair. They started to pull her up under her arms.

"What are you doing?"

"Like I said, you've served yer purpose. There's nothin' left that I want from ya', and there's nothin' else that you can do for me. You're really just an annoyin' little girl. I'll miss that pretty little face of yer's, though."

One of the men threw the rope to the side and slapped a pair of restraints on her wrists. The other one pushed a blaster between her shoulder blades.

"I'm not a little girl. You have no idea what I've been through, what I've seen."

"Take 'er to the pit," Ikao said, ignoring her.

Rae-Lynn furrowed her brows. "The pit?"

She didn't know what it was, but she didn't want to find out. Maybe she could possibly offer him something else, perhaps more money and more supplies for his schemes.

"What if I let you keep the blaster? No charge, and we can pretend like this never happened. I'll even give you back the..."

Ikao grinned and pushed his cigar into the ashtray that sat to his left. He looked up at the man with the blaster and nodded.

He held up his blaster behind Rae-Lynn's head and got ready to slam the back of it.

"... and then we could be right back in fair, healthy business with each oth-"

She glanced to her right just in time to be greeted with darkness, once again.

Rae-Lynn was stirred awake by the low rumble of a ship's engine starting up. Her head throbbed, but at least she wasn't dead yet. Her hands were still tied behind her, and she was alone. She realized that the same two of Ikao's men were at the front of the ship, one in the pilot's seat and the other in the co-pilot's. They were running through the preflight checks hurriedly and preparing for takeoff.

She looked down to her side and smiled. She still had her bag.

Those dummies… they didn't even think to check it…

She had an idea, but she didn't know if it would work. There was a chance that she could sever off her own hand in the process, but it was worth the risk. Whatever this "pit" thing was, she didn't want to end up anywhere near it.

Rae-Lynn called on the Force. It resisted her, almost like there was a barrier between it and her. She knew why it was holding back; she hadn't used the Force in ages. It was probably questioning her intentions... and her skill.

The last time she had used the Force was the night that she had battled Ben, the night that he killed all those poor children.

She shook her head. No time to dwell on the past. She needed all her focus on what was at hand.

Rae-Lynn closed her eyes. She willed herself to remember all of Master Skywalker's teachings, and the very few things that Master Farlance had mentioned just a few days before the attack.

For a moment, all she could sense was the life source coming from Ikao's men. She felt the ship start to lift from the ground, and that was when she sensed that greater force, the Force. It came to her with little effort.

She opened her eyes. Now that the Force was flowing through her again, just like it used to, she put her attention on the lightsaber in her bag. She saw it rise out of the opening as her focus sharpened.

Rae-Lynn levitated it around to her back. She let go of the hold her mind had on it and caught it her open hand. It was painful to grab it as it fell due to the restriction the restraints gave her. She twirled it in her fingers until she could find the activation button. She thumbed it on and heard the whir of the lightsaber. Oh, how she had missed that noise. It felt good to be her own self again.

She grimaced and flicked her hand up as far as the restraints would let her. The lightsaber flew into the air and Rae-Lynn moved just in time. Its glowing turquoise blade cut through the material of the restraints cleanly when it came soaring back down.

She smiled and picked up her weapon. Looked like her plan had worked, and just in time.

She heard one of the pilots typing the code into the panel on the opposite side of the door.

Rae-Lynn watched as the door slid open, revealing his black helmeted head. When he saw her standing, he pulled out his blaster and fired without hesitation.

She dodged it with ease, for he wasn't a very good shot, and moved towards him, her lightsaber held in front of her.

His gaze rested on her weapon and his sweat frosted brow furrowed into confusion. "Wait, are you… a Jedi?"

She didn't reply and continued advancing.

"But... they were all wiped out. There's no one left in the galaxy whose Force sensitive."

Rae-Lynn smiled. "That's not true. Ever heard of Kylo Ren?"

The pilot's eyes widened. "Kylo Ren? Do… do you work for hi-him?"

"Of course not. I work for myself."

She brought the hilt of the saber against his head after deciding that killing him might be a bit too extreme. She was just about to go for the other pilot when the ship suddenly lowered to the ground. She waited for the engine to turn off before deactivating her lightsaber.

The other pilot came slumping through the open door way.

"Loreck, did you wake her up? We're here…"

His voice trailed off as he saw her standing. His eyes flashed between her weapon and the broken, charred restraints on the floor. Unlike the first pilot, he was slow to take action and stood as if he were in shock or paralyzed. When Rae-Lynn began to inch forward, he shook his head and pulled out his blaster. This man was a much better shot than the other, however, and was able to singe a bit of her jacket.

Rae-Lynn frowned and examined the blackened, burnt section. "Oh, that's my favorite jacket. Why did you have to do that?"

She didn't wait for his retort. She moved forward swiftly and thrust her saber.

The man was smart enough to jump out of the way. He started running for the exit and typed in the short access pin. A small buzz indicating the correct pin sounded just as Rae-Lynn threw herself between the man and the now open exit.

When Rae-Lynn separated him from his only way out, his face grew contorted with anger and he fired. It hit her in the side, just above the ribs.

Rae-Lynn cried out and stumbled backwards, clutching her side.

The pilot grinned behind his helmet and hurried out of the ship, and ran in the opposite direction of the gaping chasm in the ground.

Rae-Lynn swore under her breath as his figure grew smaller and smaller against the hot sand. At least he would die of heat and thirst before he reached any civilization.

She drew back her hand to reveal her fingertips coated thickly in blood. She wiped it on her pants and slowly inched towards the exit to see if she could figure out where she was.

"Oh… so that's the pit."

The chasm that took up most of the area was indeed the infamous "pit"... or the Sarlacc Pit, to be exact. Rae-Lynn creeped closer to it, peering into it as far as she could. Her breath hitched at the sight of its rows of piercing teeth. Her eyes rested on the creature's huge, sharply beaked mouth. For a moment, she felt lightheaded and thought she would fall forward. Thankfully, shaking her head cleared it and she was able to take a few more steps away from the pit.

She walked slowly back into the ship, pushing on her wound to stop its bleeding and using the other hand to brace herself up against the side. Rae-Lynn slowly lowered herself into the pilot's seat and removed her jacket. She lifted up the hem of her shirt to reveal the deep wound, biting her tongue when the shirt stuck to the gash because of the blood that had already dried.

Rae-Lynn dug through her bag quickly, searching for a knife to cut away the fabric without aggravating the wound too much. She groaned in frustration when she couldn't find one.

Suddenly, she became incredibly dizzy and she felt a floating sensation. Her eyes threatened to close and her consciousness felt like it was no longer a part of her.

She realized, with a bit of amusement, that she actually wouldn't mind dying. All her pain would go away, along with her heartache and sorrowful memories. She wouldn't have to be the person she was: lying, killing, tricking, stealing. As a matter of fact, she would welcome death right now.

She heard a sound in the background, but her neck was too weak to allow her to turn and find the source of the noise. Whoever it was, they seemed to walk with heavy steps, yet it sounded almost elegant at the same time. It was a very strange combination. It made Rae-Lynn imagine that they were weighed down by a kind heart that had been through too much pain and seen too much.

"Is anyone in here…?" she heard a masculine voice say gently.

Rae-Lynn forced her chin up slightly and caught a glimpse of the mystery being. Their eyes were a dark brown color, as was their somewhat disheveled hair.

The man sucked in a sharp breath between his teeth as he watched the red haired girl's eyes close slowly. He stepped forward cautiously and saw the blood that had seeped through her shirt.

"That's a nasty wound you got there…" he mumbled. "It'll make a nice battle scar, though. Let's just hope that you haven't lost too much blood…"

Rae-Lynn felt him lift her up. She wanted to protest, to tell him to put her down. He didn't understand that she wanted to stay there, to just bleed out slowly and reflect on her life. But when she opened her mouth she found that she didn't have enough strength to say anything.

He wove his way out of the ship, taking care to support her lolling head. He watched silently as her eyes closed, diminishing the green light that shone from them.

He carried her back to his ship, placing her gently in the co-pilot's seat, unsure where else to put her.

As he prepared the ship for take off, his eyes landed on the pendant that was strung around the girl's neck.

"Hmm… General Organa is definitely gonna want to see this."

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	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews!! You guys are so awesome. :) I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. I've had a crazy summer!**

 **Enjoy!**

Chapter III

General Leia Organa stood in the hangar, waiting for the best pilot in the Resistance, Poe Dameron, to come back from his supply run. It was a lowly task to give him, no doubt, but he never cared anyways. The whirring and thrumming overhead signaled that the cargo ship was waiting for permission to land. Off to her right, General Organa saw a man run forward with a headset. He spoke something into it, then gestured to the left, where there was a wide, open spot for the ship.

"General," a voice called from behind her. She turned to see none other than Admiral Ackbar, looking rather flustered.

"Yes, Admiral?"

"There have been reports of First Order ships coming into close range of our planet. They haven't come into the proximity of the atmosphere yet, though. We believe that most of them are just passing by, but we are still on the alert."

"Why would they be in the Outer Rim, especially near D'Qar?"

"We're still trying to figure that out ourselves, General."

"Hmm… well, thank you for the information. I'll be sure to tell everyone I can to be aware and be on the lookout. I'm assuming that all ships should also be wary of leaving the planet unseen, then?"

Admiral Ackbar nodded. "Yes, that would be wise."

General Organa bid him farewell just as Poe was coming out of his cargo ship. She furrowed her brows at the sight of a young woman in his arms.

"General!" he called.

"Dameron, what did you do this time?" she asked as she hurried forward to help him support her weight.

"I didn't do anything!" he said defensively. "General, I went to Mos Eisley to get the supplies you requested and when I was about to leave the planet I flew over the Sarlacc Pit. I saw an abandoned ship and decided to check it out."

He paused so that the general could narrow her eyes at him.

"You know you're not supposed to do anything on a planet that you have not been authorized to do."

"I apologize, General," Poe said. "But when I went into the ship, I saw this girl in one of the pilot's seats. She must've got in a nasty fight, because look at this-"

He pulled up the hem of her shirt as little as he could, respecting the girl's privacy. It was enough for the general to wince at the blaster wound.

"You'd better take her to the infirmary," General Organa said after a long pause. "How long was she out there before you found her?"

"When I found her she was still conscious, but she was unresponsive and didn't seem to be really focused or aware, I guess. The wound also looked pretty fresh; I don't think it even started to clot. Whoever did this to her was gone… I didn't see who did it."

"She looks like a smuggler," the general said quietly. She examined the girl's worn and worrisome face that somehow looked like it was relaxed and calm at the same time. It reminded her of Han.

Poe raised a brow. "I don't think she's a smuggler. Look at the pendant around her neck."

General Organa shook her head. "She needs medical help. We can talk about it later. I'll come and visit her after she's conscious again."

Poe nodded and hurried off in the direction of the infirmary.

"... so you're saying you found her in an abandoned ship by the Sarlacc Pit?"

"Look, I know it sounds weird, but I just had like this… like a feeling that someone was in the ship. And I'm glad I went in there! She probably would've died!"

"I'm not saying you did anything wrong, all I'm trying to say is that it would be good to know some more… information about her."

"All I know is that she's a Resistance sympathizer. Look at that wooden pendant. That's our symbol."

Rae-Lynn opened her eyes slowly to see who was speaking. There was that man, the one who had just picked her up all of a sudden from the ship that belonged to Ikao's men. And to her right, a woman with deep set eyes and high cheekbones was standing, her hair cropped short. She seemed to be in her older ages, perhaps somewhere around forty.

"Where… am I?" she managed finally. Her throat was dry and coarse.

The man and woman shared a glance.

"That's all you," the woman said finally.

The man sighed and stepped closer to the bed that Rae-Lynn was laying on. "I'm the one that found you, in case you don't remember. I brought you here to the Resistance base so we could fix you up. Also, that little pendant of yours? Dead giveaway. You shouldn't just go walking around with it. Someone who works for the First Order could see that and you'd be in loads of trouble."

Rae-Lynn narrowed her eyes. "You don't get to just talk to me like that for-"

"Poe, you should probably just leave," the woman said. "She needs rest. Maybe you could go tell General Organa that she's awake, then you and her can come back to talk to her."

Poe rolled his eyes and stalked out of the pristine white room.

"Where am I?" Rae-Lynn croaked after a while.

"Poe already told you," the woman said, cocking her head slightly. "You're on D'Qar, where the Resistance base is located. You should already know that, though."

Rae-Lynn squinted. "I should?"

"Oh, you don't have to keep up the act," the woman sighed. "You're safe here."

"I don't even know who any of you are."

"Just relax for the time being. We'll get you all sorted out soon," she smiled. "I'm Dr. Quo."

Rae-Lynn regarded Dr. Quo skeptically. "I'm-"

She cut herself off as an older woman came into the room, followed by Poe.

"Well, that didn't take very long," Rae-Lynn groaned.

"General Organa," Dr. Quo said, slightly nodding her head.

General Organa nodded in return and fixed her gaze on Rae-Lynn. "How is she?" The question was obviously meant for Dr. Quo, but Rae-Lynn felt bitter enough to answer for her.

"I'm fine."

General Organa's eyes seemed to narrow and she tilted her chin up. "So I see."

Rae-Lynn didn't suppress the amused smirk that bloomed on her lips. This general was going to be fun to argue with.

"What am I doing here? What do you want me with me?" she asked.

"All we wanted was to fix you up and learn a bit about you," Poe said simply. "I mean, I picked you up out of nowhere and saved you, so you could at least tell us who you are."

"Maybe you shouldn't have saved me. You should have just left me. At least that way I wouldn't be here."

"Mhmm, so you'd rather be dead?" Poe cocked a brow.

"Oh, my hero. Let me just fall to the ground and kiss your boots for saving me. Is that better, Your Highness?"

Poe only grinned lazily and leaned against the wall. "Much better."

Rae-Lynn scowled. "I'm not telling you anything."

"I thought you might say that," General Organa frowned.

A few moments passed in silence, along with several uneasy glances. The quiet atmosphere was abruptly broken when Poe started drumming his fingers on a small table by the door.

"Sorry," he mumbled when Dr. Quo looked at him sharply.

"Well," General Organa said finally, "you can leave and return to your… business as soon as Dr. Quo says you're in well enough shape."

Rae-Lynn sat up forcefully, attempting to protest and demand to be released sooner, before wincing and laying back down. She remembered that she had taken a blaster to her stomach and she should probably take it easy. Having to comply with the general's recommendations made her even more angry, though.

"Wait…" she said suddenly. "Where's my bag?"

General Organa nodded and gestured to Poe, who exited the room and returned within only a few seconds, the bag slung over his shoulder. He handed it to the general and avoided Rae-Lynn's raging eyes.

The general reached into the bag and pulled out just the lightsaber, leaving the other miscellaneous items behind.

"Would you care to explain why you have this?" General Organa asked, an inquisitive expression on her face. "Did you manage to trade something for it, or were just scavenging and happened to come across it?"

"Neither," Rae-Lynn snapped.

The general raised her brows. "Then would you like to tell me how you got it?"

"No." She made sure that it sounded harsh.

General Organa sighed and put the lightsaber back in the bag. "Very well. I suppose we can play that game."

Rae-Lynn watched in triumph as she left the room. The only thing that disappointed her was that the general had taken her bag.

Poe stood outside with the general in front of one of the many X-Wings, both of them thinking in silence. The only sound came from the occasional noise of ships landing and departing and small talk among the other pilots.

"You're not going to let her go for a while, are you?" he said. "Even after she's healed."

General Organa looked at him sharply. "I'm hoping that she'll tell us more about herself before she fully recovers. And it will be awhile, too. She got stitches, so she'll need time for those to do their work and she also has to get them removed. She'll probably be here for at least the rest of the week, possibly two, because Dr. Quo is using some of the fastest healing methods she can manage. She knows that the girl is uncomfortable and impatient."

Poe thought for a moment and then nodded. "She is very… on-edge. We don't even know what her name is."

"She seems more comfortable with you in the room, though," the general added. "Dr. Quo said that after we left she became much more tense and was very uncooperative. She wouldn't answer any questions, not even simple ones like her name, day of birth, home planet."

Poe looked slightly taken aback. "And?"

General Organa sighed and rubbed her temple. She could already feel a headache developing. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is that maybe you should spend some time with her and try to see if she'll open up to you, maybe give you some information."

Poe drew in a breath and shook his head. "So I'm basically gonna make her trust me and then tell you all her secrets."

The general contemplated that for a few seconds. "Not entirely. Think of it more as… as one of your missions. Besides, she could be useful to the Resistance." Especially if she turns out to be who I think she is.

"I guess it's worth a shot…" Poe groaned.

"Maybe you could bring her a meal sometime instead of Dr. Quo. Maybe tonight. That way it's not obvious or suspicious. Just try to make small talk and that may lead to deeper conversations."

"Anything for you, General."

Rae-Lynn woke up from her short nap to the sound of knocking. Whoever it was, they didn't wait for a response before coming in.

"Ugh… you."

Poe frowned. "That's a rude welcome. I even brought you food." He held out a small bowl that was filled to the brim with a dark brown curry.

Rae-Lynn scowled in return, but hearing her stomach growl was enough to make her reach out for the bowl.

Poe watched as she ate like she had never eaten before.

"So… what's your name?"

She regarded him with a bit of wariness before she replied. "Rae-Lynn."

"How did you get that blaster wound, Rae-Lynn?"

Rae-Lynn paused her eating momentarily to look at him with a brow raised. "Why should I tell you?"

Poe thought and then smiled. "Well, I was the one who rescued you. Don't you think I should know?"

"We've already been through this." Rae-Lynn swallowed a spoonful and then chewed her cheek. She knew that she owed him, even if she didn't want to admit it. It made her blood boil. "Still, even if I'm willing to accept the fact that you saved my life, it doesn't mean I have to tell you."

Poe put his hands up in surrender. "You're right, it doesn't. It's your choice."

Rae-Lynn's face was swept over with confusion. "You're being surprisingly calm."

He only shrugged and crossed his arms.

"Fine. I'll tell you why and how I ended up in that ship, okay? Then no more questions," she said finally. "You at least deserve an explanation, especially since I'd probably be dead by now if it weren't for you." I'd rather be dead than alive right now, though. She ended with a shrug to herself and another spoonful.

"So where I come from, a little place just a bit away from Mos Eisley, there's this complete idiot, Ikao. He thinks he's this huge crime lord but he's really not. An amateaur compared to the Hutts. He bought an F-11D blaster rifle from me for fifty credits, but he only gave me twenty. So naturally that made me mad because that's the only way I get my money-"

"Smuggling and trading?" Poe cut in.

"Yep," Rae-Lynn replied. She didn't sound embarrassed, not even slightly. As a matter of fact, she almost sounded proud. "Anyways, there was this fight that I got into in a cantina with a guy, Fenro, who works for Ikao."

"Is that how you got hurt?"

Rae-Lynn looked utterly offended. "No. Of course not. I would've killed him, but the owner of the cantina… Anyways, Fenro delivered me a message from Ikao and so did another guy- well, a Dug. His name's Ubis Nuiz, you probably know him, the amazing pod racer, the one that's supposedly related to Sebulba."

Poe nodded and waited for her to continue.

"And I fixed up his pod because I'm kinda good at that stuff, and he was supposed to give me one thousand, five hundred credits but instead I only got a fraction of that. So Ubis came pretty close to dying… That's beside the point, though." She paused again to finish the rest of the curry, taking her time and savoring it. It was so much better than the lousy meals she made.

"When I got home I ate dinner, then Ikao's men knocked me out and took me to some abandoned factory or something, where Ikao was waiting. He pretty much just told me I had served my purpose and he didn't need me any more, and told his guys to take me to the Pit. They knocked me out again and when I woke up I was on the ship. I was in restraints, but I figured out a way to get free by…"

She stopped herself. Did she really want to tell him how she did it? Then he would only have more questions. And what if he went back to that high strung general and told her everything?

"But what?" he asked.

Rae-Lynn sighed. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise that you won't ask any more questions today, alright? Just listen."

Poe nodded. "That's reasonable."

"I got out of them with my lightsaber- the idiots were too stupid to take my bag- and cut through the restraints." She stopped to see how he would react, but his expression stayed the same and he seemed to be listening intently. "Then when one of the pilots came to get me, I used the hilt of my lightsaber to knock him out. I mean, I was gonna kill him, but that would look bad on me so why not let him see how he likes it, right? Anyways, the other guy came after him and by that point the ship had landed. So we fought for a while, I won't go into detail for sake of time, but then he opened the exit and I stood in front of it so he couldn't get out. I'm sure you can guess what happened next," she said and pointed to her stomach. "He got away after that. Then I looked in the Sarlacc Pit, which was stupid because I almost fell in, and then I went back in the ship to find some way to stop the bleeding but by that point I was already losing consciousness. When you found me… well, I kinda forget the rest. I think I remember you saying something about the pendant I wear."

"Yeah, that symbol is the Rebel Alliance's- well, now it's the Resistance's," Poe said.

"But that doesn't make any sense. My sister gave it to me before she-" Rae-Lynn didn't want to finish. She bit her lip, keeping her face composed, showing no emotion.

Poe gave her a knowing look and gently patted her shoulder.

She pulled away, unnerved by the gesture. He looked embarrassed and moved a distance away from her.

"Well," he said, breaking the silence, "your sister was obviously a Resistance sympathizer."

Rae-Lynn gave him a look that resembled disgust. "She couldn't have been. Our parents never got involved in that stuff, so we didn't even know what that little symbol meant. Besides, Zhenna couldn't have learned about it at the-"

Poe's brows knit together. "At the what?"

"Nothing," Rae-Lynn snapped. "No more questions, I told you that already… Poe. Now go away."

"Wow… okay. I guess this is the thanks I get," he said as he stood.

Rae-Lynn glared at him. "Do you want me to thank you for saving me? Again? Was earlier not enough?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, "a nice 'thank you' wouldn't hurt."

"Whatever. You're just going to go back to your little leader or whoever she is and blab everything."

Poe gave her a look that was lined with silent apology and left the room without a word.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! I hope you liked the last chapter. I'm sorry about the slow progression right now. Just be patient and stick with me! ;) Enjoy!**

Chapter IV

Rae-Lynn stretched as she woke, groaning and wincing at the dull pain in her abdomen. She glanced around, trying to remember where she was, and cursed when realization hit her with the blunt force of a saber. She had hoped it was all just a dream. It became enormously clear that it was real when Dr. Quo bustled into the room, her normally sleek and smooth hair frizzed.

"Ah, good, you're awake," the doctor said, her words a bit rushed. "General Organa has questions for you, and she… well, she expects them all to be answered. Or she at least hopes they will."

Rae-Lynn clenched her jaw and met Dr. Quo's inquisitive stare. "I'm not answering anything."

The doctor sighed and ran a hand over her face. The bags under her eyes were more prominent today. "Right. Of course not."

Rae-Lynn was about to snarl her retort when she noticed the small bandage around her forearm. She pressed a finger against it and hissed at the bruise-like pain. "What's this?"

"I took a blood sample last night while you were sleeping." She shrugged. "I slipped a drug in through your IV so the needle wouldn't wake you."

Rae-Lynn's lip curled back and flashed her teeth. "You what?"

The doctor didn't respond. Instead, she went over to the counter on the side of the room and leafed through a binder filled with papers concerning past patients. "You see, we don't know anything about you," she said, running a finger along the text. "All we know is your name, Rae-Lynn. Pretty name, by the way."

Rae-Lynn only tilted her chin higher. "What does that have to do with the blood sample? I'm not some animal to be tested."

The doctor ignored her. "And we know how you ended up near the Sarlacc, thanks to Dameron."

"What?" Rae-Lynn snapped.

Dr. Quo turned to her and blinked. "You told him about your… incident. Inevitably, he told General Organa."

Rae-Lynn scowled. That no good-

"So, we now know that you're a pretty well sought after criminal. There are some hefty prices on your head, girl."

"Don't call me that. You don't know what I've been through."

Dr. Quo only chuckled and turned the page. "Indeed. That leads to the next question. There's still the mystery about your past. Definitely more than meets the eye with you. Where does that lightsaber come from? You clearly know how to use it, and it appears to be of value to you. So does that pendant. It's from your sister, right? What's her name?"

Rae-Lynn narrowed her eyes. "What do you and the rest of this useless rebellion want with me? What's the point of this?"

"We merely want to know who you are, Rae-Lynn."

"Then you already have your answer. I come from Tatooine, where I've lived my whole life. My sister and I separated when she went to work on a moisture farm for higher pay. The pendant was a farewell gift; she was a Resistance sympathizer. With her gone, I had to found my own way of making money, since she was the one who always worked and I stayed at home." She paused to pick at one of her nails, then smoothed a rumpled section of her thin and flimsy hospital gown. "I found the lightsaber in an abandoned X-Wing far out in the deserts. I was scavenging for parts to sell, just like the rest of my… associates. I don't know what it was doing there, but it looked like it would fetch a good price. Dameron brought me here before I even had a chance to put it out on the market."

Dr. Quo clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Good lies, but not good enough." She closed the binder and headed for the door. "General Organa and Dameron will be here shortly."

"Who is he, anyways?" Rae-Lynn asked sharply.

"Dameron?" Dr.Quo turned around to face her. "He's the best pilot in all the Resistance."

The girl blinked her bright emerald eyes. She must have realized the dazed expression on her face, because she shook her head and raised a brow. "If that's true, then why is he running around doing all the general's dirty work?"

Dr. Quo shrugged. "Why are any of us doing anything at all?"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"It makes perfect sense. In all honesty, most of what we do has little impact throughout the galaxy. Perhaps a bit, but not much compared to the First Order. The only reason why we continue to put in an effort is because of one small thing."

Rae-Lynn bit her tongue. The doctor wanted her to ask just for the satisfaction of it. "And what's that?"

Dr. Quo's lips pulled up into a small smile. "Hope."

"Hope doesn't get you through anything," Rae-Lynn spat. "You can believe in it all you want, but in the end it's only a false belief worshipped for personal comfort."

The doctor only shrugged again and left the room, ignoring the smuggler-girl's vulgar mumble.

"You sure about this?"

"Of course I am, Dameron."

General Leia Organa and Poe Dameron were making their way through the web of countless Resistance ships.

"I don't think she's gonna be all too happy that we're searching her for midichlorians."

The general shrugged. "Once Dr. Quo has the results from the blood test, we'll know if Rae-Lynn is more than she appears."

"I still don't like it," Poe frowned. "We're lying to her."

"We don't have a choice." General Organa frowned as well. "If she is who I believe her to be, she could help in bringing down the First Order."

"And why is that?"

"I suppose we'll find out soon. And if she doesn't answer our questions today, I'm going to ask Dr. Quo to lace her food with a truth serum tomorrow."

Poe shook his head. "That's not right."

"As of right now, this girl could be our only hope. We're relying on her. She just doesn't know it yet."

"Still-"

"I don't like it any more than you do, and you know that," General Organa said. She took a right towards the main database center. "But if she's the help we've been looking for, then I'll do anything to make sure she is. And now that there's the rumor about the map…" She trailed off and shook her head.

Poe cocked his head. "That Sith Lord- whatever he is- isn't going to stop until he finds it."

"I know," she bit out tersely. "That's why we need Rae-Lynn to tell us everything she knows."

Poe sighed. "Well, it sure seems like-"

"General!"

Both of them turned around to see Dr. Quo. She was panting, sweat gleaming on her brow. "You're going to want to see this."

The pilot and general knew better than to resist.

"How is this possible?"

General Organa cast a glance over her shoulder to Admiral Ackbar and Mon Mothma, both waiting for her to answer the admiral. They were as pale faced as she was, their lips drawn in tight lines.

"That's the thing, admiral," Dr. Quo said amongst the silence. "It's not."

"Well, it clearly is." Poe leaned against the wall, raking his eyes over the screen displaying countless lists of information and numbers. "The proof is right there."

"All the Jedi were wiped out by-" Admiral Ackbar saw General Organa tense out of the corner of his eyes and stopped himself. "There weren't any survivors."

"Not that we know of," Poe corrected with a slight raise of his brows. "Who knows who was able to make it out of there?"

"Is it possible that the blood sample was somehow tampered with? Or perhaps our technology is beginning to slow down on us?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Not likely. No one here would dare to mess with classified information. They know the consequences and risks. And our technology is just fine," General Organa responded.

Admiral Ackbar swiveled his yellow eyes on the general. "Then it's really true, then. She's Force-sensitive."

Poe scoffed, earning him a few glares from the high-ranking people around him. "She's not just 'Force-sensitive'. She must have learned how to control it somewhere. Otherwise she would be blasting us with uncontrollable waves of that stuff."

Dr. Quo winced visibly. "He's right. It's possible that she trained with… with Master Luke Skywalker at his academy."

Poe looked to the general, searching her face for any reaction, but she only nodded.

"I thought so," General Organa said.

"You had suspicions?" Mon Mothma asked softly, like she was afraid of upsetting the general.

"Of course. My… my son acted the same way when he struggled to contain the calling," Organa answered slowly. Anyone who noticed the pain on her face- though she tried her best to hide it- quickly looked away. "Rae-Lynn seems to have been concealing her sensitivity for a long while now. I think that might contribute to her… personality. No one knows how it might affect her to keep a power like hers contained for so long."

"I don't believe any of it." Admiral Ackbar shook his head, shifting some of the tendrils on his face. "What's her midichlorian count?" He inclined his head to Dr. Quo, who got the message and turned to the screen.

The doctor swallowed hard and read the results from the blood sample. "Fourteen thousand, nine hundred sixty-three."

Mon Mothma gasped, followed by a barely audible 'would you look at that' from Poe. Admiral Ackbar merely widened his already too-large eyes.

Dr. Quo seemed at a loss for words as well as she flipped through a thick, leather-bound book. There were no words or markings on the spine, however, on the front was a symbol of a beacon of light framed by a something that looked like a set of wings. "That's… that's almost as high as-"

"Luke," General Organa murmured. "And higher than... Ben."

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